How Far We've Come
by Dr. Pepper Geek
Summary: Crossover with Picket Fences.Sophia's in a car crash and is comatose. A secret that Sophia has hid for ten years come to the surface. On top of that family secrets are also revealed. A/N inside!Please read! JIBBS as well! DISCONTINUED.
1. The Crash and a Familiar Face

**Disclaimer: I don't own Picket Fences or NCIS. (FYI the NCIS characters won't come up till the next chapter or so.**

**A/N: VERY IMPORTANT!!!! Another FYI the timeline for this I have set the NCIS timeline back two years. As in Jen became Director in '03 and so on and so forth. Semi related to my other stories. Sophia and Jessi are in this as well. Jessi won't appear till later chapters though. I did the set back to flow with Sophia's age. The only timeline that is the same is the Picket Fences timeline. This is in another universe than any of my other stories are in!!! None of my other stories will be refereced. Certain simiar events might be mentioned but I don't know. ALSO I have tweaked the episode of Picket Fences 'Three Weddings and a Meltdown' if you've seen the episode you'll see.  
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'_This used to be a funhouse but now it's full of evil clowns. It's time to start the countdown. I'm gonna burn it down, down, down… I'm gonna burn it down.' _Sophia sang along to the song 'Funhouse' by Pink on the radio as she drove along the long ever extending road in the country-side of Wisconsin. She was doing a cross-country road-trip well she was going to meet up with some of her friends in Utah but she decided to called them to tell them that she was going to stay a couple more days for some strange reason she didn't even know. She heard some strange screeching noise but ignored it. A moment following that her steering wheel jammed and the car spun out of control she felt the car tilt upwards as both of her back wheels came off. The next thing she saw was the sky turning upside down. She duck and then everything went black…

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"Hey Max, Jimmy just told me there was car crash on County Rd. Z. He's gonna meet us out there. Well, he's already there. Details are that a girl driving a Jeep Wrangler spun off the road back two wheels are gone. She's been put in an ambulance. Max are you okay? You look zoned," Kenny said waving a hand if front of his wife's face.

"What. Kenny? Yeah sorry. I was listening though. Something just feels strangely odd today. I can't put my finger on what though."

"Well why don't you take your mind off it and let's go. It'll come to you. It always does."

"Be quiet Kenny. Let's just go," they got into the car and drove way out on the highway. Kenny and Max stepped out of the car and lifted up the crime scene tape and walked over to Jimmy.

"What's the deal," Kenny asked.

"Well almost two minutes after we got the girl out of the car the car exploded so we can't retrieve any form of I.D. on the girl until a few days. She's got a lot of cuts and bruises. They think she's got a broken leg. Description, black hair, Caucasian, slim, looked around sixteen, seventeen. We won't know anything definite till we run DNA or she wakes up… if she wakes up. She looked really familiar too."

"Jimmy, don't say a thing like that. Why would she look familiar?"

"I don't know. Her general description sounds like Kimberly at that age back in '93. That might be it."

"See I told you Kenny there is something weird going on," Max said.

"But you heard Jimmy, the reason could be that she reminds him of Kimberly."

"When something crazy like this happens here it's never that simple it hasn't been that way for the past fourteen years, remember Kenny."

"Okay well you two go to the hospital and go see what her condition is and I'll get the stuff done here."

"Gotcha," Max replied. Her and Kenny walked back over to the car and drove to the hospital.

When they got there they saw Jill in a surgical uniform, "Jill did you do surgery on that girl that was in the crash?"

"Yes. Minor surgery but yes. Her left lung was punctured but we repaired it. She's also comatose. We don't know when she'll wake up. She's able to breathe on her own since the injuries were minor and despite the punctured lung. She looks really familiar. Did Jimmy tell you that? Well anyway, we took an extra smaller vial of blood when we did vitals so you can run the DNA. I'll go get it," Jill walked off and Max looked at Kenny.

"See I told ya so. Jill even thinks she looks familiar."

"But Jill is Kimberly's step-mom so she might think the same thing."

"But Kenny you're forgetting Jill didn't mention anything about the comatose girl reminding her of Kimberly. So… HA!!!"

"Fine. So you have a point," he said slightly defeated.

"Yeah and if they think she looks familiar we might think that too."

"Yeah she might remind US of Kimberly."

"Kenny what did I just say. Damn it!!!"

"What are you two bantering about now?" Jill asked as she came back.

"Nothing just the girl."

"I don't know why but I couldn't seem to find the vile. I make sure to look before you guys leave. You want to see her let me guess," they both nodded, "come with me."

They followed Jill down some corridors and she opened the door to a hospital room. It revealed Sophia laying in a hospital looking so pale and fragile. Max stood across the room wide-eyed and Kenny gave a heavy sigh.

"You guys were right she does look familiar. But from where?" Max asked breaking the silence and walking over next to the bed to stand next to Jill.

"I don't know. We'll know who she is when you guys process her DNA, Kenny can you help me find the vile?" Jill said.

"Sure. Max, you okay by yourself with her. Maybe if you think long enough you'll recognize her."

"I'm fine. Go," she replied. They left.

"Why do you seem so familiar to all of us," she whispered to Sophia. Max laid a hand on Sophia's arm and Max felt like she had been shot with electricity. Within seconds of that a memory flashed in her head. She saw a small girl with long black girls tied back in a ponytail. Max shook herself and removed her hand.

"Who are you?" she whispered to Sophia. Max stood back up as she heard someone come back. She turned and saw Kenny and Jill.

"We found it. I got it. Come on," Kenny said to her.

"Okay, see you later Jill."

"Bye Max. Bye Kenny. Night."

"Night," Kenny said. They walked out of the hospital and over to the squad car and they got in. Once they were almost a quarter back to the police department Max turned slightly in her seat and looked at her husband.

"Kenny?"

"Hmm?" he said as his reply.

"Did you think that girl looked familiar?"

"A little. And fine you were right she doesn't look familiar because she reminds me of Kimberly quite the opposite actually. I don't know though."

"Told ya so. But anyways do you remember when Ginny used to talk about all of her psychic stuff," he nodded, "well… this is going to sound really strange but I put my hand on the girls' arm and this memory flashed through my mind. It was this little six year old girl, she had her hair tied back in a ponytail just grinning like the Cheshire cat. I don't know but… remember that girl that was kidnapped and then somehow she wandered here and showed up at my doorstep. I think that the comatose girl is the same girl from ten years ago. What was her name. I can't think of it."

"Whoa Max. Are you talking about the little sarcastic six year old that managed to annoy Waubaugh and he actually admitted that he was annoyed by her antics. I mean she was being annoying like he used to be. Even more. But in a good way. The one that came to our wedding and had to borrow some of Kimberly's old clothes that Jill had stored up in her attic. I got bit by a spider because Jill made Jimmy and I get the box down."

"Yeah and she had to hang around the police station and beat you and Jimmy at like four games of cards…"

"Hey the only reason she won was because we let her and YOU helped her."

"I did not!!! I just gave her some pointers on how to whoop your guys' ass at the games."

"That's called helping, Max," he replied rolling his eyes.

"Just be quiet Kenny," Max said letting out a soft laugh. She would've hit him but he was driving.

"Fine."

'_This will be interesting,'_ Max thought to herself as she turned back and looked out the window of the squad car.

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**A/N2: So there's the first chapter what do you think? Reviews please!!! It makes me update faster!!! I want your opinions!!!**


	2. Where's Sophia and Finding Out

**Disclaimer: I don't own Picket Fences or NCIS. Sophia, Kristie, Nick, and Jessi are mine though.**

Max and Kenny went home after they dropped off the vile of the comatose girl's blood. When they arrived home it hit near to 6:00pm. so they ate dinner with their two kids, Kristie Erin Lacos and Nicholas Scott Lacos.

The morning sun woke up Max and Kenny at 6:35am. soon following their alarm clock. Max hit it off since the alarm clock was on her side of the bed. She grumbled but then was pulled back by her husband's two strong arms. She turned and nuzzled her face into the crook of his neck.

"Good morning," Kenny said running a hand up and down her arm.

"Morning," she mumbled back. Max lifted her head up to meet her husband's eyes then leaned in a kissed him good morning.

"We need to start getting ready."

"Okay," he replied letting go of his wife.

Two hours later their kids were off to get on the school bus and Max and Kenny headed in the car to the police station. They walked in and Jimmy walked up to them.

"We have a name on that comatose girl from the crash yesterday."

"What's her name?" Max asked.

"Sophia Jones. The same Sophia Jones that was kidnapped ten years ago and showed up on your doorstep, Maxine."

"I told ya so, Kenny," Max said to her husband victoriously.

"Okay so we got an I.D. what about family?" Kenny asked.

"We want you guys to work on that."

"Okay," Kenny replied.

_Five hours later_

"Max I got somethin' you might wanna see this. No wait you will wanna see this," Kenny said. Max got up and looked at her husband's computer over his shoulder.

"What is this Kenny?"

"This is her family history profile."

"Cool, this should really help. Why is this so important though?"

"Look at her family tree and you'll see."

"Okay well send me the link I'll get on it on my computer."

"Alright, there, just sent it," Max walked back over to her computer and started to type and click on some things.

"I got it, Kenny did you even look through this at all?"

"I perused it but why?"

"Because look at her closer relatives that are still living."

"Why?"

"Just look," Max said.

"Okay, jeez. Ugh close relatives, her dad Henry Jones the fourth, cousin, Jessica 'Jessi' Gibbs, her aunt Jennifer Shepard. Max how is this important?"

"Because of her aunt that's why."

"Huh?" Kenny said apparently not getting it.

"Kenny click on her aunt and pull up her picture," Kenny did that and he finally got it.

"Whoa Max she could be you twin!!!"

"Ya think Kenny this is freaking me out…" she trailed off because she felt dizzy and she closed her eyes.

"_Max what are you doing?" Jen asked her crazy acting sister._

"_I'm having fun come on Jen get your ass up here," Max motioned her sixteen year old twin sister to get up and walk around the fountain at the front of their boarding school._

"_No. No way I am not gonna get in trouble!!!" Jen said._

"_You gotta let loose Jen. JEEZ!!! Life isn't always about studying and being teacher's pet."_

"_Fine…" Jen got up on the fountain and chased her sister._

"Max?" Kenny shook Max gently on the shoulders and she jumped slightly in her seat as her eyes fluttered open.

"The car wreck," she mumbled.

"What? Max what about the car wreck."

"I was in a car accident when I was sixteen. With my sister Jenny. I remember now. When I woke up I had amnesia. I think my real dad probably put me in a different hospital than Jen. And put me in a foster family that made me believe that I was their daughter and the reason there was no pictures except for school pictures of me was that there was fire when I was five. Well I believed it. I never really recovered my memory till just now. Wow, from the time I was born till the time I was sixteen before the accident I wasn't Maxine Stewart. I was Maxine Shepard."

"Why would your dad do something like that?"

"Kenny, me and my sister were close. And I mean close. But I was the rebellious one of the two. When I told you what happened with my dad. It was my dad that did that. He did beat me. But, after the accident because of my amnesia I put a different face to my dad. Jen was always daddy's little girl and our mom walked out on us when we were eight. I was distant. I guess that might've been the reason I was commitment phobic right before we got married."

"Max, that terrible. Come with me," she took his hand and he led her to the break room. He shut the door, locked it and closed the blinds. Kenny walked over to her and kissed her. She smiled against his lips and they broke the kiss when oxygen became necessary.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"I wanted to help you feel better. You might've not been daddy's little girl but you'll always be mine. That will never change. Not in a million years."

"I love you Kenny."

"Love you too, Max. We need to get on a flight."

"To where?" she asked he opened the door and led her back over to her desk and looked at her computer.

"Washington, D.C."

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"Hey have any of you guys heard from Sophia? She's not answering her cell and she hasn't called at all since right before lunch yesterday," Jen said walking into the bullpen. Ziva, McGee, and DiNozzo looked up from their work.

"I haven't heard from her," Ziva replied.

"Neither have I," DiNozzo said.

"Same here, Director Shepard," McGee put in.

"Okay. Where's Jethro?"

"The boss is down in Abby's lab."

"Alright. I'll go down and ask both him and Abby. Then I'll ask Ducky," Jen walked off and into the elevator something didn't feel right. She placed a hand on her five month pregnant stomach and zoned only to be brought back to reality by the elevator door ringing open. She stepped out and walked into Abby's lab.

"Good morning director. How are you?" Abby asked apparently already had her first Caf-Pow! of the day.

"I'm doing fine. Have any of you two heard from Sophia?"

"Nope I haven't. I wish I have though. I need to tell her this one place that I went to when I was in Utah this one time," Abby said.

"I haven't either, Jen. Are you sure you're feeling okay you look a little exhausted?" Gibbs said walking over and putting an arm around her waist."

"I am kind of tired," slightly leaning into Gibbs.

"Awe cute 'Mommy and Daddy' moment," Abby said snapping a picture on her camera phone.

"Abby don't send that to anyone," Gibbs said making Jen laugh softly.

"I won't Gibbs but it was just so cute!!! I couldn't resist," she replied.

"Okay good. You keep working and I am going with Jen up to her office."

"You're what?" Jen said.

"I'm going to make sure you take a nap."

"Jethro…"

"Don't argue with me Jen."

"Ugh!!! Fine."

"Bye Gibbs, bye director!!!" Abby exclaimed as Gibbs and Jen walked out of Abby's lab and into the elevator. Almost immediately he flipped the emergency stop switch and turned to Jen.

"Jen, there's something wrong I can see it in your eyes. What is it?"

"I don't know that's just it. I can't figure it out. Something doesn't feel right. And no not because Sophia isn't answering her phone. Well that's part of it but I feel that there's more to it than that."

"Sophia's probably fine. Maybe her battery's dead on her phone and she hasn't been able to charge it," Gibbs said stepping closer to Jen and pulling her to him and hugging her.

"Okay that makes me feel a little bit better. So does this," she replied snuggling deeper into the hug.

"You just go take a nap and we'll see if we can track her cell. Okay."

"Okay thanks Jethro."

He placed a kiss to her hair and released the hug. Gibbs put the elevator back to normal and once the doors opened he followed Jen to her office.

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"Hey Jimmy we need to talk to you," Kenny said.

"Okay," they walked into his office and shut the door.

"Jimmy, I've had amnesia since I was sixteen," Max said

"Huh?" Jimmy said.

"I was in a car wreck when I was sixteen. My twin sister, Jenny and I were in the car. She was driving. We were in our hometown on break from our boarding school and the car flipped cause it was hit by a drunk-driver in a Ford. I woke up apparently after being in a coma and I had amnesia. My real dad put me in some adoptive family and that family made me believe that I was their biological daughter."

"How did your amnesia go away."

"The comatose girl, Sophia. Her aunt is my twin, Jenny. I'm related to her too. The other reason is that we need to fly to D.C. and talk to Jenny," Max explained.

"Okay," Kenny and Max walked out of the office.

"Max, wait what are we going to do about Nick and Kristie?"

"We'll take them with us. It's the weekend tomorrow. They might have to miss school on Monday no more than that."

"Alright," they worked a little more then went home to pack some and waited for their kids to come home from school.

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**A/N: Please review!!!! I beg of you!!!!!!!**

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	3. Recollection, Reuniting,and Reconnecting

**Disclaimer: I don't own Picket Fences or NCIS**

_The Next Day_

"Mommy!!! Wake up!!!" Jessi said gently nudging her mother awake.

"Mommy wants to sleep honey," Jen replied.

"Jen, you gotta wake up we're going to be late for work," Gibbs said.

"Fine," Jen opened her eyes and sat up gently. She swung her legs over the bed and got up with Gibbs' assistance.

"Whoa," Jen said.

"What?" Gibbs asked.

"I felt the baby kick that's all. He's awake too."

"Mom, can I feel the baby kick?" Jessi asked.

"Sure," she took Jessi's hand in hers and placed it on her stomach. Jessi's eyes grew wide and her blue eyes sparkled in amazement.

"It feels weird. But cool!!!" Jessi ran off and Jen and Gibbs started laughing.

Jen sighed, "Time to get dressed," Gibbs laughed a little more and kissed her temple and ran a hand over Jen's stomach. He left the room to go downstairs and start breakfast.

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_Five Hours Later_

"Nick stop annoying your sister!!!" Max exclaimed to her eleven year old son.

"She started it!!!" Nick retorted.

"No I didn't!!!" Kristie stated.

"Yes you did!!" Nick bit back.

"Both of you cut it out NOW," Max said. Kenny kept quiet and concentrated on driving. They had arrived in D.C. an hour before. They checked into a hotel and now were in a rental car on their way to NCIS. Max and Kenny figured out that Max's twin, Jenny is the Director of NCIS and so they had to go there to talk to her.

Max looked out the car the rest of the way to NCIS as her thirteen year old daughter and her eleven year old son bickered. She really had gotten used to it. She expected really. With them having both her and Kenny's genes in them she knew from the minute she found out that she was pregnant with Kristie that once Kristie was born and when they had more kids they would bicker like there was no tomorrow. In a lot of ways Kristie was just like her in a lot of ways. Now that she thought about it Kristie reminds her a lot of Jen as well. Kristie had a drive to always to do well in school and achieve high.

"Max… Max. we're here. Come on," Kenny said. Once they went through security randomly a gothic young woman ran up to Max.

"Director who are they?" Max laughed.

"I'm not who you think I am. I'm Director Shepard's sister."

"Director Shepard never told any of us she had a sister much less a twin, come with me. By the way I am Abby. The forensic scientist here at NCIS."

"I'm Max Lacos, that's my husband Kenny and our two children Kristie and Nick."

"Nice to meet you all," they followed Abby into the elevator. Max, Kenny, Kristie, Nick, and Abby stepped off the elevator and into a squad room.

"Gibbs, director, Tony, McGee, Ziva, Jessi!!! Look over here. Guess what?!!" Abby said hyperly.

"Whoa I think I'm seeing double!!!" DiNozzo said playfully. Jen turned around and grew a confused look on her face.

"Max?" Jen said amazed and slightly distressed.

"Yeah Jenny it's me!" Jen's mouth hung open as her supposedly dead twin sister approached her.

"Max it's you!!" Jen enveloped her sister in a tight hug. Well as tight as she could get since Jen was five months pregnant.

"Yeah and you're five months pregnant!!! Are you having a boy or girl?" Max asked after the hug ended.

"A boy. What are you doing here!!"

"Ugh well. It's about Sophia."

"You know about Sophia?"

"Yeah she well she's in a coma at the hospital in Rome, Wisconsin. There's another reason why. She was kidnapped when she was six. Somewhere we're not too sure but she wound up on my doorstep. We never found her kidnapper but we also had no idea who she was we knew that her name Sophia but she couldn't remember her last name. Sophia stayed with me. I was getting married a few days after she showed up at my doorstep so she came to the wedding. Some of our friends had a daughter that was grown up so our friend had my husband, Kenny and her husband get a box of their daughter's old clothes so Sophia could borrow a dress for the wedding."

"Oh my God!!!" Jen said.

"Jen, hey she just in a coma. Remember I was in a coma and I pulled through," Gibbs said putting an arm around her shoulders pulling her close.

"Is this your husband?"

"No Max, he's had four wives I don't want to be the fifth Mrs. Gibbs. But he is this baby's father and Jessi come over here," Jessi walked over next to her mother, "and hers."

"Ah okay. Well…"

"Let's get us all introduced then Gibbs, Jessi, you, your husband, your kids, and I will go up to my office and discuss the situation."

"You always did wanted to achieve high goals. Now look at you a kid, a baby on the way, Director of NCIS, and a man that loves you. You have it all."

"You forgot a lovable annoyance of niece name Sophia. But I guess. Max these are Agents McGee, DiNozzo, and Gibbs. That's Officer David, she's a liaison from Mossad attached to Gibbs' team since '03."

"Hi," Max said, "this is my husband Kenny Lacos and our two kids, Kristie and Nick. Nick's eleven and Kristie's thirteen."

"Okay well let's go up to my office now. Jethro, Jessi, come on with us," they walked up the stairs and Jen sort of waddled which got a slight laugh out of Max.

The seven walked into Jen's office and she told them to sit a the conference table and Kristie and Nick could sit on the couch and talk with Jessi.

"Okay so what exactly happened to Sophia to cause her to be in a coma?"

"She was in a car wreck," Max began, "her back two tires fell of and the car flipped over. Once Sophia was extracted out of the car and put in a ambulance the car for some reason blew up. We didn't know who she was but anyone that knew Kenny and I back in '96 kept on saying that she looked familiar. Rome's local doctor Jill Brock took an extra smaller vial of blood so we could I.D. her since Sophia was and is comatose. There's no major damage her left lung was punctured and a lot of bumps and bruises. The temporary but high amount of bruises, cuts, and what not is what most likely caused the coma. That's from what Dr. Brock told us."

"How do you know all this?" Jen asked.

"Kenny and I are cops in Rome. We went out to the scene, then we had to go to the hospital to check Sophia's condition."

"Okay," Jen said, "Jethro, you, Jessi, and I are going on a plane to Wisconsin with them to see Sophia."

"Alright, Jen."

_Later That Day_

The Lacos' had come Jen and Gibbs' house for dinner. Kristie and Nick were playing games on the computer with Jessi, Kenny and Gibbs went out back to talk and have a beer… or two, and Jen and Max were in the living room talking.

"I can't believe it," Jen said.

"That I am alive. Better believe it."

"No that dad would do something like that."

"I was the rebellious teen, you were the one that would really make something of your life. And look around, Jen you have. We grew up in this house, but you live in it still."

"Hey you came out successful too. A loving husband, two kids. You got a great life from what you've told me. You should never doubt yourself like that. Ever. I mean it, Max. Come on don't be so hard on yourself."

"I guess you're right. But one thing. Don't blame yourself for the crash. You didn't see the drunk driver coming. He rammed into my side of the car. You were looking the other way because you already looked my direction. Please don't blame yourself for the crash. Please."

"I did after that for years. Jethro doesn't even know what happened. It was something I could never bring myself to tell him. I don't know why but I just couldn't."

"Hey you thought I was dead you had a reason to be upset but don't blame yourself now. It's okay I'm here and you can clearly see that I'm alive," Max pulled Jen to her and gave her a hug. Jen started to cry.

"Let me guess… hormones?"

Jen let out a small laugh, "Part of it."

"Same old Jenny."

"What's that supposed to mean!?!"

"Nothing just… you haven't changed one bit Jen. I changed a little bit. I'm not really rebellious anymore."

"If you saw her back in the 90's you would think otherwise. Remember the what happened between us before the shoe thing. Or that one time that…" Kenny said walking into the living room with Gibbs.

"I'm going to kill you Kenny!! That's not funny!!"

"And remember Thanksgiving that one year?"

"Yeah remember when you dated those…"

"Don't finish that sentence please Max," Kenny pleaded.

"Or the time when you dated Rachel Harris. She used be the mayor of Rome and she was twice his age," Max said grinning in victory.

"Wow, you guys are… well I don't really have anything like that on Jethro. Except one word. Positano," Jen said laughing.

"Come on, Jen that was a week after I took a bullet. Well what about the time you stole a boat."

"That was to save your and Ducky's asses!!! So there. Ha!!!" Jen replied.

"Wow," was all Max could say.

"We should get going. Night. Kristie, Nick come on. Say goodnight to Jessi," Kenny said.

"Give me the keys Kenny I have to drive," Kenny handed the keys to Max.

"Night Gibbs. Night Jenny," Max said hugging her sister tight and then waving bye to Gibbs.

Fifteen minutes later the Lacos' were gone and Jessi was up in her room reading. Jen and Gibbs were sitting on the couch. Well laying more so. Jen was tucked into Gibbs' side and he was tracing absent-minded random patterns on her stomach, "Jethro," Jen said breaking the content silence in the room.

"Yeah Jen?" he replied.

"I have to tell you something."

"What? Is there something wrong?" he sounded slightly worried.

"No it's just that… why I thought Max was dead was because… because we were in a car wreck when we were sixteen. I was driving. I looked Max's direction and then the other way but before I could look back the other way a drunk driver hit Max's side of the car… she… she went into a coma and so did I by the time I woke up my dad told me that Max was dead. We held a funeral for her and it was a closed casket ceremony. So I never saw her body. Jethro, I never forgave myself for what happened. I blamed myself for it for years. Max told me that I had to promise that I would stop blaming myself from now on. She's alive and so I don't need to think that what happened was my fault," Jen had tears emerging but kept them back. She felt Jethro hold her tighter and she buried her face in his chest.

"How come you never told me before, Jen?"

"I… I just couldn't bring myself to tell you. I don't know why but I just couldn't I hope you're not mad at me for keeping it from you."

"I'm not mad not one bit. Come on we need to go to bed. We don't necessarily go to sleep but come on."

"Okay," she let him help her up and they first made their way to their daughter's room.

"Jessi go to sleep within the next hour okay?" Gibbs said.

"Okay dad. Night mom, night dad. Love you," Jessi replied then quickly returning to her book. They walked out of Jessi's room and into the hallway.

"She reminds a lot of you," Gibbs said.

"How?"

"Smart, pretty, smart aleck…"

"I have to stop you there Jethro. She gets the smart aleckness from you and I. But thank you for the other compliments," Jen said kissing Jethro lightly on the lips and then hugged him.

"I'm ready to climb into bed," she said. They walked down the hall and into their room and got dressed for bed.

"Jen," Gibbs said breaking the silence in the bedroom, "do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what, Jethro?"

"You know damn well what I'm talking about."

"I'm scared and worried for her Jethro. Yeah Sophia's strong but what if she doesn't pull through?"

"Hey," he pulled her to him and she snuggled deeper into his embrace, "she will pull through. Don't think that. Her ability to annoy people till they might need to be put in a mental ward gives her extra strength," Jen let out a laugh and she smacked him playfully on the arm.

"I guess you have a point. I love you Jethro," she kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Love you too, Jen," he kissed the top of her head and rubbed her stomach. Jethro held her until he heard her breathing even out settled down more in the bed and laid on his back. He held his grip on Jen and he fell asleep soon after.

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**A/N: I just realized it started with a JIBBS moment and ended in a JIBBS moment. Please review!!!**

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	4. Sophia Wakes Up & Aftermath part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or Picket Fences.**

'_I could hear people saying things around me but I couldn't register what it was exactly. I wanted to moved but it felt like something was restraining me from doing so. I knew I actually didn't have anything literally restraining me but I don't know. I couldn't speak, the words were stuck in my throat and wouldn't release. Any movement whatsoever was impossible. I couldn't do anything, I couldn't say anything either. Where's Aunt Jen? Where's anybody?_

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_Sunday afternoon_

Their plane had only just landed and now Jen, Max, Kenny, Kristie, Nick, Gibbs, and Jessi were on their way to the hospital. Once inside Jill walked up to them in astonishment.

"Whoa Jimmy told me about you having a twin Max but I would've thought she would look slightly different from you. Well besides the fact that your twin is pregnant but you see my point."

"What's that mean Jill?"

"Well twins sometimes like to differ themselves from each other. You know dress differently, die their hair a different color, and wear different shades of makeup. But you two wear similar style of clothes and near the same shade of makeup. Even the exact same shade of hair color. Uncanny."

"We always were very close growing up," Max and Jen said in unison both letting out a small laugh.

"I want to see Sophia," Jen said.

"Okay…"

"Jen's fine. I'm Jennifer Shepard. This is my daughter Jessi and her father Leroy Jethro Gibbs, but everyone just calls him Gibbs."

"Alright. Come with me," Jill replied.

"What's Sophia's condition?" Jen asked thankfully not sounding as panicked as she felt.

"Well her condition is a lot better she's unconscious still but should wake up any time now," Jill explained. They reached Sophia's hospital room and to their surprise they saw a semi-awake Sophia.

"Is it normal to see double?" Sophia asked sounding groggy.

"What are you seeing double of?" Jill asked knowing that it is normal to be seeing double.

"Aunt Jen but one of her is wearing different clothes and isn't pregnant," immediately after that Jen and Max started to laugh.

"Well you're not seeing double Sophia. That's your aunt's twin sister."

"What," Sophia stared at Jill with curiosity, "Jill," she looked over to Max, "Max," she scanned the room and saw Kenny, "Kenny, what? Where am I? Am I back in Rome?"

"Yes sweetheart you are. You were in a car accident. You've been in a coma," Jill explained. Sophia sat up gently and wincing when she felt a pain in her chest.

"Care to elaborate Jill. I might've been only six but I remember you were good at that," Jill rolled her eyes and Max and Kenny laughed a little know _exactly_ what Sophia was talking about and they knew that Jill infact did that. All the time.

"Well from what I heard your car flipped over for some strange reason. When the ambulance arrived here and we checked you over and concluded there were a lot of bumps and bruises and you had punctured your lung, that's why you felt that pain in your chest. We repaired the lung and it should heal very quickly since it was minor."

"Okay," she bit her lip, "how long have I been in a coma?"

"Just about three days," Jill replied, "I'm gonna go. Just buzz the nurse if you need anything."

"Thanks Jill," Sophia replied smiling. Jen walked over to Sophia, pulled a chair over to Sophia's bed and sat down.

"We're all just gonna go. We'll see you later Sophia," Gibbs said and everyone else took the hint and left with him.

Jen finally said something, "You gave us all quite a scare. Everyone knew you would pull through. Jethro said it was because your ability to annoy people gives you extra strength," Sophia laughed softly, "I was really scared. Part of it was probably my damn hormones pushing my emotions into something that made me overreact to much."

"That's okay Aunt Jen. It was so weird. I didn't have a sense of time, or didn't know where I was. Just a bunch of flashbacks played through my mind like a movie."

"What were the flashbacks of?"

"Different things. Us moving down to D.C. since you had become the director of NCIS and me meeting the team. I already knew Ziva thanks to you working with her before. And then the one when you told me about Jessi and I mentioned it would be nice to have two cousins. I was shocked that I didn't know about her. I mean ya know you were always gone to '_conferences'_ and I believed you. I had never felt so gullible in my life. How's my little cousin doing?" Sophia said signaling her head in the direction of Jen's stomach.

"Good. I think he was worried about you too," Jen said playfully rubbing her stomach.

"He won't be when me and Jessi pull pranks on him. Or when he pulls pranks on us."

"True, very true," they talked more and Jen got Sophia caught up on what had been happening.

"Aunt Jen can I use your cell phone?"

"Sure why?"

"So I can call my friends and tell them that I won't be meeting up with them in Utah. Ya know since one I was in a coma and two I'm using your cell since mine kind of blew up and so did everything else in my Jeep. Man I loved that car."

"Ok here," Jen fetched her phone out of her pocket and handed it to Sophia.

Sophia dialed some numbers than someone picked up, "Hey Steph."

"_Hey Sophia. What's up?"_

"Umm I don't know how to put this but I was in a car accident and so that's why you don't recognize the number I'm calling from cause my aunt's phone. My car kind of blew up and so did my phone and my luggage. Lovely I know right. I'm not going to be able to meet up with you guys in Utah. I'm in a hospital in Rome, Wisconsin and I know you've never heard of it. Don't ask. I been in a coma and just woke up. I know my voice is kind of getting weak I'm just tired so I just gonna get off and let the rest of the guys know what happened. Bye."

"_Bye,"_ Steph replied. Sophia hung up and handed the phone back to her aunt.

"You need to get some sleep I heard you say you were tired."

"Okay. Fine I'll sleep," Sophia said. Jen got up and kissed Sophia's forehead.

"Have a nice nap," Jen said. Sophia smiled and Jen walked out shutting the door behind her. She started to walk around to see where everyone went to. She opened her phone and called Gibbs.

"Jethro where are you?"

"_We're in the cafeteria Jen."_

"Okay where's that? You know what why don't you just come back to where Sophia's hospital room is at and just take me down there?"

"_Okay Jen I'm coming," _she ended the call and sat down on a bench and waited for Jethro. She rubbed her stomach thinking the last time she was in a hospital. She was the one that was in a hospital bed. Well aside from an ultrasound she went to with Jethro the week prior. She was zapped out of her thoughts by Gibbs tapping her shoulder.

"Come on Jen."

"Okay," she said and they walked down to the cafeteria together. Gibbs had his arm around her shoulders and she leaned into him.

"There you are Jenny!!!" Max said.

"Hey I'm hungry."

"Don't worry I got some stuff," Jethro said and sat down after Jen did. He put a plate of food out in front of her. She started eating.

"How's Sophia?" Max asked.

"Good. She feeling and looking good. I just hope she can get out of here soon she hates hospitals as much as I do."

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Sophia was discharged from the hospital a couple days later and was give some antibiotics to make sure that one place that she was injured didn't cause a blood clot or get infected. Now Gibbs, Jen, Jessi, and Sophia were in Gibbs and Jen's hotel room. Sophia, Jen, and Jessi were playing Egyptian Rat Screw and Gibbs was checking in with team making sure that the fact that Tony was temporary team leader it wasn't going to his head. Thankfully it hadn't… yet.

"I so put my hand down first I get those!!!" Sophia said.

"No way I put my hand down before yours," Jen retorted.

"Will you two stop fighting like Laverne and Shirley for God sakes. Come on Sophia you're almost and adult and mom you're a grown woman stop acting like four year olds!!!!" Jessi interrupted.

"Good girl Jessi. Finally you shut those two up," Gibbs said from across the room praising his daughter.

Jen and Sophia death glared him.

"That's not funny Gibbs, fine you win. And no I'm not being a sore loser but I promised Carter I would go down to police station and see him and catch up."

"Who's Carter?"

"The M.E. his name's Carter Pike. Talks a lot less than Ducky, a lot younger than Ducky, but tells just as good stories but A LOT shorter," she stood up and immediately felt weak she grabbed the side of the bed --since they had been playing in front of the bed-- and put her other hand to her forehead. Jen got up as fast as she could and grabbed her niece's shoulders to help her steady.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah just a little weak and dizzy. I just need to lay down and call Carter to tell him that I'll have to meet him later than we planned…" she tried to finish the rest of her sentence but her eyes shut closed and grew limp. Gibbs came over and caught her.

"We need to get her to the hospital," Jen said. Jessi had stood up by now shocked.

They drove to the hospital and Gibbs carried Sophia inside. Jill walked up to them.

"What happened. What's wrong with her?"

"We were playing cards and then she stood up and said that she had to meet some Carter Pike person but then she looked like she got dizzy then just went unconscious," Jen explained.

"Ok we need to get her in a hospital room and into a gown."

They did that and after a near to a half hour of waiting Jill came out of Sophia's hospital room.

"What's wrong with her Dr. Brock?" Jen asked extremely nervous and tense for more reasons that people know.

"The antibiotics that we gave her have had an extreme opposite reaction that we can't really explain. We need a transfusion that can only be given by a biological parent."

"Well Sophia's dad is unreachable and her mother died when Sophia was young."

"I'm sorry. But she'll die if we can't do a transfusion from one of her biological parents," Jill said. Jen bit her lip and thought.

"She's gonna live," Jen said suddenly.

"She can't unless we have a transfusion from one of her biological parent," Jill said.

"You're gonna get one," Jen said hoping she's doing the right thing in telling them what she did sixteen years ago in order for Sophia to exist.

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**A/N: Tum tum tum... what do you think happened? Okay so here's one thing that you can rule out cause I don't want you thinking this: Jen did NOT I repeat NOT sleep with Sophia's dad. Okay now let your imagination go crazy on what happened. This only happened in this little universe. The following stories are in this universe in order of which they happen: Snap Out of It!!!, Safe Place, and How Far We've Come(duh). Please review. It makes me update faster. Also it makes me write. It sucks that I only have like 4 reviews for this story. I really am doing a good job. I feel discourage when you all don't say what you think. It's makes me not want to write as much. It make me think you guys think I suck at writing. I'm serious. Really that's how I feel. Please review!!!**


	5. Aftermath part 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS or Picket Fences**

**A/N: Please don't try to find my and murder me for this plot that I came up with for this story please enjoy someone told me you guys might actually like this.**

"What are you talking about, Jen?" Gibbs asked extremely confused.

"We all need to speak in private," Jen said.

"Okay," Jill said.

"Jen, what?" Gibbs started.

"I'll explain inside, Jethro."

"Ok," they walked into Sophia's hospital room.

"She's unconscious she won't hear anything," Jill said.

"Okay. That's a good and bad thing. The good part is I don't want her knowing this just yet. And the bad thing is, is obviously she's unconscious," Jen said.

"Jen, just tell us what's going on?" Gibbs said.

She took a deep breath, "Jill do you know what gestational surrogacy is?"

"Yes umm cover Jessi ears for this. She'll hear about it later but she doesn't need to hear it now," Gibbs covered his daughter's ears after a little protest out of Jessi, "it's when sperm and egg cells come from a third party and someone else acts as a host."

"Ok you know what it is too. Remember that case not to far back, Jethro," he nodded, "well what happened sixteen years ago was slightly reversed. Sophia's mother, Sarah couldn't have children but she had a womb, she wanted to carry and give birth to a child. She knew I was able to have children. Pretty much it was the same process as gestational surrogacy but I didn't carry and give birth to Sophia, Sarah did," Jen bit her lip, "I'm technically Sophia's biological mother even though like I said Sarah carried and gave birth to Sophia. But she has half my genes and half of her father's. I never told anyone because I didn't think that Sarah would die when Sophia was so young and I also was planning on telling her when she was eighteen but nothing went according to plan after she was born. Sarah died when Sophia was two and her father traveled so much so I took care of her. I was technically taking care of my daughter. I still kept it a secret because at one point Sophia was too young to understand, I joined NCIS, you and I went to Europe, I left and then found out I was pregnant with Jessi, I left her with my aunt and uncle in South Carolina, I moved around, I got legal custody of Sophia since her dad pretty much said by sending me custody papers 'hey, yeah she might my daughter but I can't be a real dad to her', then we finally stayed in D.C. thanks to me becoming director, then you came back into my life, the La Grenouille thing happened, we got back together, I told you about Jessi, I told Sophia about Jessi, you met her, blah, blah, blah, then I'm pregnant again and now Sophia gets in a coma, then gets out, then reacts horribly to the antibiotics that she's given and can only be saved by a transfusion with a biological parent," Jen said slightly out of breath. During her rant Jessi had made her father drop his hands from her ears so she could listen. Her eyes were wide with shock as were Jill's and her father's. Ninety-five percent of that rant was directed towards Gibbs.

Jessi was the first to register, "So, Sophia's technically my half sister?"

"Yes."

Gibbs was still in shock, "Jen. Whoa. I really can't think of anything to say. Well it explains why Sophia is so much like you."

"Yeah well Sarah and I acted a lot alike growing up and it was by chance that Sophia got her looks from her father's side of the family so everyone just brushed off the fact that we acted alike because to Sophia and everyone else we technically aunt and niece, not mother and daughter.

"Well we need to prep you for the transfusion," Jill said after registering what Jen said.

"Ok. Jethro, Jessi wait till I'm done then we'll call Max and Kenny and tell them. They need to know as well. I'm not too sure how the team will take it when we get back to D.C. but whatever. My main priority is saving Sophia then telling her the truth ok. Now go," Jen said firmly not wanting to sound hurtful.

Jen was prepped for the transfusion and as much as she hated needles she bit the bullet for her daughter. She now lay in a hospital bed next to Sophia the transfusion was complete and they just needed to make sure Jen didn't react poorly to anything after the transfusion. Within the next few hours Sophia still hadn't woken up but they said that she can live thanks to the transfusion and should wake up anytime now. Jen was okay so they let her change back into her clothes and she was officially released from the hospital even though she didn't actually leave the hospital, she never once left Sophia's side.

Jen was stroking her daughter's cheek, it felt sort of weird but sort of right to call her, her daughter, when she started to stir. Sophia turned her head a little then blinked her eyes open.

"Hey," Sophia said.

"Hey yourself."

"What happened. All I remember is saying I had to go meet Carter then everything went black."

"You reacted horribly to the antibiotics they gave you. You needed a transfusion."

"Okay from who?"

"Only a biological parent could give one."

"Then how'd I survive? I know my mom's dead and dad's somewhere unreachable."

"Honey I need to tell you something. After I tell you, you can be mad all you want."

"What do you mean Aunt Jen why would I be mad?"

She bit her lip then sat down in a chair next to Sophia's bed, "I really don't know how to put this but, the reason you survived is because, because, I gave you a transfusion."

"But that makes no sense. You said that only a biological parent can give the transfusion."

"Umm Sophia, Sarah, your mother, was barren. She couldn't have children. Remember that case where Abby mentioned gestational surrogacy?" Sophia nodded, "well what happened with you was a little reverse."

"What do you mean?"

"Sarah did carry and give birth to you but she's not your biological mother. I am. Your father is still your father. Sarah knew I could have children but she wanted to carry and give birth to a child. I was planning on telling you when you were eighteen but nothing after you were born went according to plan."

"Wait a minute!!! You mean to tell me that you're my mom. Why the Hell didn't you tell me!!!! My mom, well apparently not my mother, Sarah died when I was two and you still didn't tell me. Ya know, I used to get so upset over Mother's Day. You should've seen how upset I used to get. And all along my mom was alive!!! I can't believe this," Sophia turned away from her now-found mother and started crying, "I don't even want to look at you or talk to you right now," she turned briefly around, "and if you think I'm gonna call you mom you got another thing coming," she said coldly then turned her back to her mother.

Jen slowly closed her eyes and bit her lip to stop the tears that threatened to fall. She slowly walked out of Sophia's hospital room and closed the door.

"What happened?" Gibbs asked.

"What do you think happened Jethro? I told her, now she hates me. I'm not gonna be surprised if she never speaks to me again. Where's Jessi?"

"With Dr. Brock. They're down in the cafeteria," Gibbs replied.

"Ok," Jen ran a hand over her face, "I didn't want to hurt her. But I didn't want her living a lie either, Jethro. I think the reason that her father sent Sophia to come and stay with me knowing sometimes that it would fall on Mother's Day because even if it was unbeknownst to Sophia that she was spending Mother's Day with her actual mother. I feel terrible keeping it from her. If she does ever forgive me I don't even care if she calls me mom or not. She doesn't have to."

"I'll want to eventually," a voice suddenly said. They turned to see Sophia standing in the doorway.

"I was listening in on your conversation. I cracked the door open, enough to hear what you were saying, but not enough that you would notice. I do forgive you I guess you have your reasons. I don't hate you either. Yes I'm upset but I could never hate you. It's going to take me a while to start calling you mom so can I still call you Aunt Jen till I'm comfortable with calling you mom. You know what's another upside, I get to tell people my mom's the director of an armed federal agency," Sophia said. Jen came over to Sophia.

"Okay," Jen hugged her daughter tight.

"How many more people know?"

"Dr. Brock, Jethro, and Jessi. That's about it."

"Are we going to tell anyone else?" Sophia asked after the hug ended.

"Yes. We're going to tell Max and Kenny, then once we get back to D.C. we will tell the team. Then we just go from there. I don't know how we tell people but we will."

"Lovely," Sophia replied semi-sarcastically. They walked back into the hospital room and Sophia sat on the bed.

"This is weird. But a kind of weird ya know. You kept that so well hidden it's scary."

"Yeah. I did that's what I feel kind of bad about."

"You had your reasons," Sophia said.

"I'll go find Jessi," Gibbs said.

"Ok."

"Gibbs, if Jill is talking her ear off don't be surprised. She does that all the time. I might've not known her long but long enough to know that she does do that."

"Okay," with that he walked out of the hospital room.

Sophia bit her lip, "I never really did notice how much we are alike. This explains so much."

"Yeah Sarah didn't have a lot of the habits you have. She never bit her nails, I used to bit them all the time, she hardly ever bit her lip, I do that still. You get a bunch of habits from me."

"Yeah and some of them aren't all that great," Sophia replied with a laugh.

"Oh yeah."

"It's a good thing Sarah didn't know Ziva or only God knows what you would've turned out as."

Sophia did a goofy ninja pose, "Can someone say assassin?" with that they both started laughing and Sophia sat back down on the bed. Jen went and sat down next to her, "You don't have anymore wacky secrets do you?"

"Nope this is it," Jen replied hugging her daughter again.

"I wonder how loud Abby will scream when we tell her that I'm your daughter. Or the look on DiNozzo's face. OR the look on McGee's or Ziva's face."

"Yeah DiNozzo's expression will be priceless."

"I'm happy I have you as my mom ya know."

"You don't know how happy I am to hear that," Jen hugged Sophia tighter.

"I wonder what my friends at school are gonna think and how they react. Steph will probably like half understand what the Hell I'm saying. She's always been like that."

"Ah we'll have to come up with a simplified version."

"Love you… mom," Sophia said with slight hesitation. She knew how right it felt to say that.

"Love you too, Sophia."

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**A/N2: Didn't really know how to end this chapter but look at the bright side two days of updates in a row. Maybe if I motivate myself it will be three days in a row. Now some of you may have seen that coming. Don't kill me. Blame these two people SongBirdie101 and Bluemoon909. If bluemoon909 hadn't left me a review in chapter of three of Unexpected Visitor way back when saying something like 'oh maybe Sophia is Jen's child' well I said 'nope but you're close' cause back then I was referring to Jessi. And only in this universe did this actually happen. As in like I said in my last author's note for chapter four: Snap Out of It!!!, Safe Place, and this story. Also blame SongBirdie101 for bringing having me bring up Unexpected Visitor. ALSO I just realized thank the character Abby for mentioning gestational surrogacy in the episode Family which unbeknownst to me came on the same day I thought of this. And people say I'm not psychic. Come on that's proof!!! And about five hundred other things that have happened to me over the years!!! Please review. With a twist like that I deserve some major reviews. I saw that like what a bunch of people read the previous chapter and only one person reviewed so I want to thank Madison-Gibbs for being a good reviewer. She always reviews my stories. Thanks so much. That really encourages me to write because someone likes my stories. I don't know if you people like it or not if you don't review. Come on. Please? :( *pouts and batters eyes***

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